


The Tale of Two Equally Oblivious Dorks

by its_too_cliche_24



Series: Valentine's Day 2019 [5]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Dorks in Love, Fluff, Love Confessions, M/M, Mutual Pining, Pining, Valentine's Day, Valentine's Day Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-05
Updated: 2019-02-05
Packaged: 2019-10-23 00:36:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,132
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17673071
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/its_too_cliche_24/pseuds/its_too_cliche_24
Summary: Nathaniel realized he has feelings for his friend. He plans on avoiding him to deal with his problems.





	The Tale of Two Equally Oblivious Dorks

**Author's Note:**

> Valentine's Day is coming up! To celebrate, I'll be posting 14 fics with 14 different ships every day!  
> Day 5

Most days, Nathaniel could be found in the art room after school. Drawing to his heart’s content while chatting to Alix, who let some of her pent up rage out in the form of spray paint. It was therapeutic for him, being in that little art room. Chatting with Alix, hearing Rose’s tinny music through her headphones, the relaxing sound of paintbrushes on canvas, it felt like home.

That was before Marc.

He still enjoyed going to the art room, but he found that he didn’t go as much as he used to. Maybe they’d meet up at the park, or the Louvre, or even just hanging out at each other’s house. It started out with them just hanging out to work on their comic books, but eventually they just...hung out. Nothing special or work related, just… as friends.

But that was also why Nathaniel was in the art room now, instead of hanging out with Marc. He sighed, setting his pencil down to run a hand through his hair. Alix glanced over at him, her expression as sympathetic as she’d allow it to look.

“I think I have a problem,” Nathaniel said nervously, sitting down across from Alix about a month ago.

“Shoot,” Alix invited, shoveling some cafeteria monstrosity in her mouth.

Nathaniel remembered hesitating, and that had worried Alix. They’d been so open with each other about everything. The only thing that Alix had ever hesitated in telling him was about her asexuality. Of course, he’d been completely accepting, but it didn’t make it any easier to tell him. As soon as he hesitated, Alix knew it had to be something similar.

She reached across the table to reassuringly pat his hand, and he took a deep breath to calm his nerves.

“There may be a possibility that I...like…” he’d trailed off, looking down at the table.

Alix had been patient while he mustered the courage to tell her.

“Marc?” He confessed, and cringed while waiting for her response.

Squeezing his hand, she’d smiled at him to let him know that she accepted him. He released a shaky sigh of relief.

“I’ve wondered for awhile,” she said honestly. “Are you going to..”

“No,” Nathaniel answered instantly, shaking his head. “I don’t have that many friends and I don’t...I don’t want to risk losing one.”

Alix understood then, and she still understood now. But it didn’t mean watching her friend go through this hurt her any less. Especially today, Valentine’s Day. The art room was completely deserted except for her and Nathaniel, because she had no plans and he was actively avoiding Marc.

She sighed, and turned back to her graffiti masterpiece. In all the time she’d watched them interact, their chemistry was hard to miss. Marc started off so flustered around Nathaniel, and gradually got more and more comfortable. In her opinion, it was fairly obvious that Marc liked him, but she didn’t want to be wrong. It was good for Nathaniel to have someone like him, and she didn’t want to mess up their friendship.

An hour later, Alix was tired. But Nathaniel still sat, brooding as he drew. As much as she hated leaving him alone, she knew he wouldn’t appreciate her just sitting there watching him.

“Hey, I’m gonna head,” she looked over.

“Thanks for staying, see you tomorrow,” he nodded over at her.

She was hoping he’d take the bait and leave with her, even though she knew he’d be staying until the school kicked him out.

 

~~~

 

Even though he had plans to avoid him on Valentine’s Day, Nathaniel still took the time to make Marc an intricate, unique card.

Just in case the opportunity presented itself.

Now, he took the card out of his folder and looked it over. What a stupid waste of time.

He almost crumpled it out of anger, but simply sighed and gingerly placed it back in his bag.

How dumb he had to be, thinking he’d have a good enough excuse to give it to Marc?

A couple minutes later, someone came running into the art room. Nathaniel jumped, looking up.

“Hey,” Marc greeted him.

He looked out of breath, and his face was a little pink. Nathaniel squinted in confusion, not quite sure what to say.

“Um, hey,” he responded, voice falling a little more flat than he intended.

“How’s it… how’s it going?”

God, this was so awkward.

“Good, I’m just, uhh, well, nothing that interesting...what brings you here?”

A deep red blossomed on Marc’s face.

“Well, the thing is…”

Before Marc could finish responding, the wall inside the art room caved in. Nathaniel and Marc jumped, Nathaniel leaping out of his chair and Marc practically vaulting over the table to stand next to Nathaniel.

A flying akumatized villain swooped in, hovering above the two boys. The villain had big wings, like an archangel in paintings.

“I am Cupid’s Vigilante,” they rasped, looking down on the boys with pure red eyes.

The eyes seemed to sear into their souls, and Nathaniel felt Marc cringe into him.

“I will knight all those who haven’t received a valentine and we will control all of Paris!” Their gaze fell on Marc first. “You -” They pointed a long, sharp finger at him, “have not received a valentine.”

The villain took out a bow and arrow, aiming it directly at Marc’s chest.

“Wait!” Nathaniel cried, diving for his bag.

He fumbled in his folder for Marc’s card, and hastily handed it to him.

Marc’s eyes widened, but other than that, Nathaniel couldn’t read his expression. Dread settled in his stomach, but before either of them could say anything, Cupid’s Vigilante spoke.

“You -” the arrow was eye level with Nathaniel now, “have not received a valentine.”

Nathaniel closed his eyes, fully expecting to feel the arrow strike him. At least he managed to save Marc from becoming an akuma’s puppet.

“Yes he has!” Marc squeaked, pressing a small piece of paper into Nathaniel’s hands.

He looked down. _To Nathaniel _, it read.__

____

Cupid’s Vigilante growled, but they turned the arrow up, shooting a hole in the roof to make their hasty escape. Which left Nathaniel and Marc alone in the rubble.

____

Nathaniel opened the note, and found a handwritten, original poem by Marc.

____

“Wow, Marc, this is..” Nathaniel trailed off, looking up to see him standing awkwardly.

____

At that moment he remembered the handmade card he made for Marc. A flush spread across his face.

____

“That’s what I came here to give you, but I almost didn’t,” Marc explained, face extremely red.

____

“Does...this mean what I think it means?”

____

Their eyes met, both of them blushing.

____

“If you want it to.”

____

Nathaniel smiled, and Marc relaxed. He returned the smile.

____

“I think I do.”

____

He couldn’t wait to tell Alix.

____


End file.
